Routine practice of episiotomy reflects the difference of power between health professionals and women

Episiotomy is the most common surgical procedure in modern obstetrics, and it must be carried out with informed consent of the woman. The aim of this study is to investigate the knowledge and participation of women in obstetrics decisions during childbirth. A qualitative study was done using women submitted to episiotomy during childbirth as social actors in a Hospital School in Minas Gerais. Participant observation and interviews were the...